Anterior shoulder instability modifies glenoid subchondral bone density.

Subchondral bone mineralization is used as a morphologic marker for individual stress distribution of joints and therefore may help to distinguish variations of glenohumeral contact. Therefore, an in vivo analysis was done to evaluate glenoid stress distribution in anterior glenohumeral instability by computed tomography osteoabsorptiometry. Patients with recurrent anterior glenohumeral dislocation, seven of posttraumatic and six of atraumatic origin, and an intact rotator cuff were grouped retrospectively and compared with healthy, age-matched shoulder specimens from cadavers (n = 13).

The sublabral foramen: does it affect stress distribution on the anterior glenoid?

Even though it is believed that a sublabral foramen (SF) requires no treatment, no objective data are available to establish whether this condition bears a relationship to anterior-inferior glenohumeral instability. Therefore, the influence on glenoid subchondral bone mineralization of an isolated SF was investigated, because the individual distribution of subchondral bone mineralization may be used as an indirect parameter for long-term stress distribution of joints. Two age- and side-matched groups of healthy glenohumeral specimens with SF (n = 10, aged 37-85 years) and without SF (n = 10, aged 36-86 years) were examined by computed tomography osteoabsorptiometry.

The mineralization patterns at the subchondral bone plate of the glenoid cavity in healthy shoulders.

The distribution of mineralization of the subchondral bone plate (DMSB) is used as a parameter for the individual stress distribution of joints. In this study the DMSB of the glenoid from healthy glenohumeral joints was analyzed. In a standardized manner, 44 macroscopically normal shoulder specimens (28 individuals aged 18 to 96 years) were selected and DMSB of the glenoid was evaluated by computed tomography osteoabsorptiometry.